Right Support, Right Time: The Power of OT in social care
Help us build a strong evidence base for the future of social care
As part of Right Support, Right Time: Unlocking the Power of OT campaign, we want to make the vital prevention and early intervention work you deliver in social care impossible to overlook. Every day, occupational therapists help people stay well, avoid crises and live well in their communities – and your insight is essential as national discussions about the future of social care take shape.
That’s why we’re gathering strong examples from your practice to shape our influencing work and submissions to current reviews. We’re also sharing our refreshed Care Act guidance to support you in applying your professional expertise and judgement with clarity and confidence.
How you can get involved
Your experience is central to how we represent occupational therapy nationally. Here’s how you can get involved:
Share your practice examples
Social care is at a crucial moment. The Independent Commission on Adult Social Care (the Casey Commission) is exploring how the system can shift towards more sustainable, prevention-focused approaches. Although its work is focused on England, the issues at stake – prevention, early intervention, integration and workforce pressures – are shared across all four nations.
In our discussions with the Commission’s, we’ve been emphasising the breadth of occupational therapy in social care. They are particularly keen to understand how Disabled Facilities Grants work in practice, how integration between health and social care is (and isn’t) working, and where occupational therapists make the biggest difference in supporting people early and preventing crisis.
This is where your insight matters.
Occupational therapists are central to delivering core Care Act duties - not just to providing adaptations or equipment. Every day, OTs lead strengths‑based assessments, fulfil local authorities’ prevention responsibilities, apply professional judgement in complex casework, and support people to maintain or regain independence. Yet these parts of the role can be overlooked. By sharing examples from across your practice, you help demonstrate the full scope of occupational therapy in social care and challenge the misconception that our contribution begins and ends with adaptations.
New Care Act guidance for members
We’ve also refreshed our Care Act guidance to support your day-to-day practice.
It does not change local authority duties or occupational therapists’ obligations under the Care Act. The update brings the guidance up to date, clarifies application in practice, and includes new case studies reflecting current social care contexts.
It’s designed to help you:
- navigate Care Act duties with clarity
- apply professional judgement with confidence
- strengthen professional practice within social care settings.
Help spread the message – use the messaging guide
To support you to speak confidently and consistently we’ve created a social care messaging guide.
The guide helps you:
- communicate clearly about the value of occupational therapy
- link everyday practice to prevention and early intervention
- align your conversations with the wider Right Support, Right Time campaign.